Display apparatus



Nov. 8, 1927.

l. SCHWARTZ DISPLAY APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 16, 191i 2Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 8, 1927.

l. SCHWARTZ DISPLAY APPARATUS Original Filed'sept. 16, 19;; 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED: STATES AT-Eur OFFICE.

ISIDQRE S GBEWARTZ,

OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOE TC ANIMATED PICTURE PROD- UCTS CO., .ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

toIsrLAY APPAaA'rUs.

Application filed, SeptemberlG, 1919, SeriaLNo, 324L135. RenewedMayS,1325.

My invention relates particularly to an apparatus by means ofwhichpictures or subjects ofvarious kinds may be displayed, but relatesespecially tosuch a display apparatus adapted for use. in advertising.

The objectvof my invention is to provide anapparatus by means of;whichsubjects of various kinds. may be displayedto great advantage. I

Further. objects of my invention are to provide. anapparatus by means ofwhich a changeable picture may be displayedand in addition thereto anumber of other nonchangeable pictures'may be displayed whileutilizingthe same source of light as used in connection with thechangeable picture.

Stillanother object of my invention is to provide. attractively anduniformly blended lighting effects in connection with the dis-, play ofpictures above referred-to.

Again, another object of my invention is to provide such an apparatus inwhichthe movable picture elementsmay be readily replaced.

Further, objects'of'my invention will appear from the detaileddescription thereof contain-ed hereinafter.

\Vhile my invention is capable of embodiment. in many different formsfor the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain forms of myinvention in the drawings in which: r

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus made in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2is a plan view of the same Fig.3 is a plan view of a modified formof my invention; and I Fig. l is a front elevation of still anothermodified form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-'5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings referring to Figs. 1 and '21 have shown a frame 1 ofwood having a recess2 on its rear face to receive a composite picture 3which may be enclosed in a permanent metal frame 4 to. protect the edgesthereof. saidslot being also arranged to receive. in the rear of thepicture 3 a lined screen 5, protected by a metal frame 6 at the. edgesthereof, and at the rear of the lined screen 5, also, a lightdiffusingplate 6 which may beof glass and which may be enclosed in ametal-protecting frame 6*. The composite. picture 3 is comprised of a.plate such. forexampleas glass adapted to, transmit light, the samecarrying thereon a plurality ofpictures each of which iscomprised of aplurality of lines so arranged that the linesof one picture fall betweenthe lines of the other picture. The lined screen 5 is comprised of aplate of material adapted to transmit light, such for example as glasscarrying aseries of. parallel lines. The lined screen oriss'paced ashort distance; tothe rear of; the composite picture 3 by reason of theprotecting frames 5: and 6. It will be-urrderstoodthat therec ess, 2isopen at the top but closed at the bottom. At the rear of said recess2thereare two strips of metal 7 andS held in placebyscrews 8 which extendover the edge of the recess 2 in order to form a slot with the same forthe receipt of the plates 3, 5 andG. Soldered to the strips of metal 7and 8 there are provided four flanged spacing members 9 said spacingmembers 9 being soldered at their other ends to a housing 10 havingtwoangular light reflecting surfaces 11 and 12. These surfaces 11 and 12 areturned over at their upper and lower ends so as to secure in placeupper and lower closures 13 and 14. Said-upper, and lower closuressupport respectively lamp sockets 15-and 16 carrying white or coloredlamps 15 and,16 to which they are secured by screws 17 while electricconnections for thesame are made through a socket 18extending out of therear of the housing 10. At the forward edge of the upperclosure13 thereis a slotted edge 19 formed by bending the edge of the upper closure 13intothe form of an 820, said slotted edge 19 being provided forsupporting in place a picture 21 tov be illuminated by reflected light.7 In order. to hold the picture 21 in the most advantageous"position,that is to SQQQYSO that it. will be slightly curved forwardly at theupper edge thereof, a strip 22is provided; which has bent over ends 23and 24 to receive the edges of the picture 21. At their sides, the tworeflecting surfaces 11 and 12-. also carry. slotted edges 25 and 26,;made in the same manner as the slotted edge 19 inorder to hold in placerespectively pictures 27'and28. These pictures 27 and 28-may be held ina position with the free edges forwardly curved in order to securethemost effective illumination byform strips. similar to the strips 22, butpreferably instead I use for thispurpose wires 29 and -having at theirouter. endsbentover portions 31 and 32 to hold in place the edges of thepictures 27 and 28, said Wires being received at their inner ends inrecess plates and 34: soldered to the rear of the housing 10.

The modification of my invention shown in Fig. 3 is constructed the sameas the form of my invention previously described, except that in thisinstance the spacing members 9 are omitted, and the sides of a housing35, made the same as the housing 10 but with the slotted edges and 26omitted, are secured by screws 37 to the rear of the frame 1 in theplace occupied by the strips 7 and'8 in the form of my inventionpreviously described.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. i I have illustrated amode of securing variations in blending effects which may be applied toany of the modifications of'my invention herein referred to. This isaccomplished by providing in the rear of the frame 1 a housing 38 madelike the housing 10 or the housing except that in this in-' stance'thereare provided partitions 39 and 4-0 which may or may not extend up to thelined screen 5, but which preferably are spaced a distance to the rearthereof dependent upon the degree of blending of the lights desired. Inthis instance where there are used two partitions 39 and 40 there willbe three lamps 41, 4:2 and 43 used, the lamps 41 and 4-3 being supportedin the same manner as the lamps previously referred to, but theadditional lamp 42 being supported upon the partition in a lamp socket 41 provided with currentfrom a socket 45. If the lights 41, 12 and 43 arered, white and blue respectively, the colors which are adjacent to eachother will become attractively blended and the blended areas will dependlargely upon the particular partition 39 or 40 separating the same. Inthis way very realistic effects can be obtained approaching the colorsof natural objects or scenes, as for example water falls or landscapes,where subjects of this character are displayed by the composite picture3 carried in the apparatus. However, it will be understood also thatwith-out the partitions, blending of colors may also be obtained, but inthis instance the individual colors will not be obtainable at the topand bottom of the apparatus in their greatest intensity.

The operation of my invention will be understood from the description ofthe apparatus given above. From this it will be seen that the electriclamps, whether colored or uncolored, or whether of the same color ordifferent colors, will display the composite picture by transmittinglight through the same and when an observer passes in front of thecomposite picture, first one of the pictures of said composite pictureswill be visible and then the other according to which of the pictures iscut off from view by the interposition of the lined screen between thecomposite picture and the source of light. The desired lighting effects,Whether of the same color or of different colors, and whether widelydiffused or diffused to only a small extent can be obtained by utilizingelectric bulbs of the desired colors and by making use of the number ofpartitions, separating the bulbs found most ,desirable and appropriatefor the particular picture being displayed, and by utilizing suchpartitions of the desired depth. Whenever it is desired to display adifferent subject this can be readily done by removing the plate 3'fromthe recess 2 and substituting another composite picture plate for thesame. In case the composite picture 3 is the only picture beingdisplayed the form of my invention shown in Fig. 3 will be utilized, butwhere additional pictures such as the pictures 21,

27 and 28 are to be displayed by utilizing the same sources of light,such pictures are applied to an apparatus such as the apparatus shown inFig. 1 for displaying the composite picture 3 is utilized to illuminatethe pictures 21, 27 and 28 by reflected light. In order to change thepictures 21, 27 and 28, it is merely necessary to remove the strip 22and wires 29 and 30 and then apply new pictures with said strip 22 andwires 29 and 30 to the ap paratus.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to beunderstood that many changes may be ,made therein without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a frame constructed and arranged to supportinterchangeable translucent composite pictures and a lam housing at therear thereof, provided at the sides thereof with means for supportinginterchangeable single pictures, a space being left between the housingand the frame for the passage of light at the sides of the frame wherebythe single pictures are illuminated by reflected ligh 2. In combination,a frame constructed and arranged to support interchangeable translucentcomposite pictures and a lamp housing having two reflectingsurfaces'located at an angle to each other at the rear thereof. providedat the sides thereof with means for supporting interchangeable singlepictures, a space being left between the housing and the frame for thepassage of light at the sides of the frame whereby the single picturesare illuminated by reflected light.

3. In combination, a frame constructed and arranged to supportinterchangeable translucent composite pictures, a lamp housing at therear thereof, provided at the sides thereof with meansfor supporting intor-changeable single pictures in a curved po- I sition, a spacebeingleft between th hQ l$- ing and the frame for the passage of lightat the sides of the frame whereby the single pictures are illuminated byreflected light, and an upper closure for said housing having a picturereceiving slot.

4-. In combination, a frame, a translucent composite picture mounted inthe frame, a lined screen mounted at the rear of the composite pictureand spaced therefrom, a trans- I lucent light diffusing member mountedat the rear of the screen and spaced therefrom, and a lamp chamber atthe rear of the diffusing member Wherebythe composite picture may beviewed by transmitted light.

5. In combination, a frame, a translucent composite picture mounted inthe frame, a lined screen mounted at the rear of the composite pictureand spaced therefrom, a lamp chamber at the rear of the lined screenWhereby the composite picture may be viewed by transmitted light, saidlamp chamber being provided With a lateral passage for light rays, and asupport for display matter mounted in curved position for illuminationby light passing through said passage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 12th day of June, 1919.

ISIDORE SCHWARTZ.

